120GB Zune priced at $249, blue flash Zune in the works?

It's no secret that a 120GB Zune is on the way, and thanks to B&H Photo, it looks like we also know how much it'll cost: $249. That's right in the range (and more bang for the buck than a certain fruit company's large-capacity player), so we can't say we're too surprised -- but what's this listed right under it? A blue flash Zune for $149? Indeed it is -- and with the most mythical of Zune colors about to make its debut along with those rumored media and software / social services updates, we're guessing the Zune Guy is rethinking that whole "f***ing bulls**t" assessment. Then again, probably not.

Update: More intrigue. Zunerama just posted this shot of a Wal-Mart stock system showing the 80GB and 4GB Zunes as discontinued. Yeah, something's up -- hopefully we'll find out soon.

[Via Zunerama]

[Kurt @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:19PM]

Zune = Faildozer

[Richie @ Sep 2nd 2008 11:16PM]

Kurt=Fail This is a very good deal Apple charges $350 for something like this $249 is very reasonable for 120gb media player. I may just pick one up

[fieldcar @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:47PM]

Apple = latrine
Who knew being a fanboy could be so rewarding... People will like me now.

[Quix @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:02PM]

People, where have you been? Didn't you get the memo?

Badmouthing anything from Microsoft on Engadget = low ranked.

Badmouthing anything from Apple on Engadget = high ranked.

Badmouthing anything from Apple while praising something from Microsoft on Engadget = Epic Hero status.

Yet the Winbots call Apple customers fanboys. Ah the irony.

[PynkFloydd @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:53PM]

Quix: Why would you expect to get highly rated badmouthing Microsoft in a MICROSOFT article? An article that MICROSOFT users would be most interested in. An article that an Apple user would gain absolutely nothing from or have any knowledge about. An article that an Apple fanboy just comes in to spew their worthless opinion in. Apple fanboys coming in and whining about how Apple is perfect and everyone needs to switch deserve to be low ranked. ...maybe even banned.

[sotec_productions @ Sep 2nd 2008 3:16PM]

I have owned a 30gb Zune since right after Christmas last year (which makes it early this year if you didn't catch that) and I can honestly say, I loved it until 2 things happened:

1. My software won't install on my computer now, so it's basically a brick. I've spent hours and hours trying every combination of install/uninstall/virus scan/etc to no avail.

2. I found out that it has some serious encryption security on the chip which makes it the most proprietary piece of personal digital storage in existence. What does this mean? It means without the Zune software, as previously stated, it's a brick. It won't sync to anything besides that software (which is basically a skinned WMP11).

Since I use Ubuntu 99% of the time, this does not bode well for me.

I will not be purchasing any more Microsoft products. Ever. Again.

I might even consider buying an iPod just to be spiteful, and I don't like iPods, nor am I spiteful by nature.

Thanks a lot for not a whole lot Microsoft. You've lost a customer for life.

[PynkFloydd @ Sep 2nd 2008 4:11PM]

@sotec_productions:

So... Let me get this straight. You bought an MP3 player on clearance (what was it then...$70?) and you didn't bother to read the hardware/software requirements. Now you're blaming the company for all of the problems in your whole life because they didn't cater to you when they developed the product a few years before you bought it. You advertise that you use a free OS (that's not Windows) and then you claim how Microsoft has lost a customer that it never had.

Ok then...

[digitallysick @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:23PM]

really no one cares about the zune. I tried one before and it didn't seem bad i think ms should make the software to sync it work with mac and linux, then they might sell more zunes

[Patrick @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:28PM]

Right. Make it work with OSs that combined are less than 10% of the market and magically it will be a hit. Do you think any Apples zealots will buy anything MS? It'll hardly be worth the effort.

[Argot @ Sep 2nd 2008 4:20PM]

What's a Mac? Some sort of hamburger right?

[Guzzie @ Sep 2nd 2008 5:34PM]

I hate seeing this comment lowranked.

Overall OS marketshare has nothing to do with the market of people buying portable media players. OSX may have ~7% marketshare overall, but you can almost guarantee that those with apple computers are more likely to purchase PMPs (a large majority of windows machines are for office purposes). At a number of universities the PC/Mac ratio is 50/50 or greater. Ignoring these potential customers seems like a major hindsight by Microsoft.

tl;dr - Certain people are more likely to buy PMP's than others. Not everyone who buys a PC buys a PMP.

[Orcish @ Sep 4th 2008 4:56PM]

Zune just sucks. Won't work with my Mac. No big deal, thats why I use an iPod. Won't work with audible.com, sucks - thats why I bought my iPod, I do a lot of long distance driving and enjoy the audio books. Won't work with overdrive audio books and plays for sure. Great, now even microshaft isn't supporting their own "standards." I'll keep my 160gb classic thank-you very much.

[CT @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:27PM]

Sweet, now the Zune 80 will be cheap on Woot! in a few weeks.

[kojo87 @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:04PM]

i just bought a 80GB for $250. so cool for everybody but me.

[Steveo @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:28PM]

What's a Zune?

[deyanimay @ Sep 2nd 2008 1:03PM]

That quote was stupid because if he bought a zune instead of an iphone he wouldn't be able to make calls either.

[deyanimay @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:54PM]

Okay why did you have to go and remove the reply i was referencing, now i seem like a rambling idiot. Why engadget? Why?

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:29PM]

@Kurt

The zunes is better than most of the ipods and are up the top with creative zens and Zen X-FIs. So KURT=Retard

(Disclaimer- I have not owned any ipods, Zens or Zen Xfis or Zunes ( I live in the uk). I do plan to own a zen X-fi if the new ipods are crap and expensive.)

[Adderz @ Sep 2nd 2008 1:09PM]

So youve said that Zunes are better in almost every way. You even said Creatives are better in almost every way.

Yet you are going to wait for the ipod....hmm something doesnt add up.

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Sep 2nd 2008 1:32PM]

Your point being

[Jim Halpert DM @ Sep 2nd 2008 1:32PM]

Well it appears he's an impartial consumer looking the buy the best product he can get. He seems willing to give any product a chance as long as the quality is there, thus waiting to see what the new series of ipods will be like. Does it all add up to you now?

[kojo87 @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:06PM]

2+2= Adderz is stupid. ur right it does add up.

[computer.dude.28 @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:30PM]

You gotta be kidding me, I tipped Engadget at least a month ago with picture evidence of a blue Zune!

[computer.dude.28 @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:35PM]

After some searching I managed to dig up the picture I sent engadget..
http://www.zunethoughts.com/news/show/90204/skinit-for-zune-and-a-blue-zune.html
Blue buttons!

[chefgon_ign @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:30PM]

I was really close to picking up a Zune yesterday (to write XNA games for it) but I'm glad I didn't. Hopefully this means a price drop for the 80gb version so I can get that nice big screen without shelling out the full $250 asking price. I'm still going to get one either way, but it's definitely worth a wait to see what happens to the pricing structure from here.

[Boarderwoot @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:38PM]

120 GB zune for $249 or a 80 GB iPod Classic for the same price. WTF is wrong with you people, seriously. they both do the same damn thing and the zune has a bigger screen. The Steve-o you worship points and laughs at you sheep all the way to the bank.

[Jim Halpert DM @ Sep 2nd 2008 1:05PM]

Same thing? The zune has wi-fi and a radio. Not to mention it won't try to kill you in your sleep :P

[Michael @ Sep 2nd 2008 1:58PM]

The 120 GB Zune @ $249.99 = $2.08 per GB
The 160 GB iPod @ $349.99 = $2.18 per GB
The 80 GB iPod @ $249.99 = $3.12 per GB

But that's the current line up... you know Apple is going to increase the capacity and keep the price the same on September 9th. Even just a bump to 180 GB and the price per GB drops to $1.94. I really don't think they'll stop at 180 though. Last time they jumped from 80 to 160... my guess is that they'll jump from 160 to at least 200, but I wouldn't be surprised if they figured out how to shove 320 in there. If that's the case then...

The (imagined) 320 GB iPod @ $349.99 = $1.09 per GB.

Who really wins? (Remember, Microsoft has ALWAYS been playing catch up on capacity, releasing an almost equal size right before Apple jumps theirs.)

*Note on per GB prices: I've rounded all numbers down, no mater what the value of their 3rd spot.

[Shinigami @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:46PM]

Somebody please pass this to Microsoft:
"Instead of making more variations of Zune, please make it available worldwide".
Thanks.

[216 @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:46PM]

Price Drop the 80gb Zunes!!! Come oooooonnn (I currently have a 30gb Zune)

[Sam Zebian @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:51PM]

Oh so it seems like they may be just doing a spec upgrade on their hardware like apple did with the ipod video when they did the 5.5 update, but I think there will be much better software and possibly something like an ipod touch competitor put into the market. Who knows, but we'll see.

[Jubei @ Sep 2nd 2008 1:00PM]

It would be a waste of your hard earned money to buy this "me too" product from MS. You would be much better off spending it on a state of the art device like the iPod Touch. The new games alone that are quickly populating the iTunes app store make the Zune look like a toy for pre-school children. It's pointless to have these so called updates for the Zune. It has nothing unique about it. Well perhaps its incredibly crippled WiFi and Squirt features are something to barely brag about.

[Zeus.:God @ Sep 2nd 2008 1:25PM]

How would it be a waste? A better device with higher sound quality and more memory than it's similarly priced competitor, that does everything as well or better than said competitor. What sounds like a waste is the 80GB iPod Classic.

State of the art iPod Touch? How is that state of the art, when I can get a similar product (Archos) for roughly the same price with a bigger screen and a TON more memory and features? Archos has the iPod Touch looking like a child's toy, and better yet, the Archos doesn't use shitTunes! Sounds like a bargain to me.

Why is it pointless to have these updates? Because it doesn't work for iPods? Maybe it's because you're jealous? Really, with your recent tirade against the Zune and MS REALLY makes you sound like you are.

If the Zune is a "me too" player (not saying it isn't), then you can say that about damn near everything Apple has ever created, and any other product in this world. Your arguments have no merit.

[PynkFloydd @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:54PM]

I switched to a Zune from a few difference generations of iPods. I'll never buy another iPod. ...ever.

If you said, "the new games on Windows based machines make the games populating the iTunes app store look like toys for special olympic kids" then, I could agree with you. I have better things to do when I go out. ...or are you the guy at the bar playing with his iTunes app store games?

[Jubei @ Sep 2nd 2008 5:22PM]

It must be difficult to be a Zune fan. With your favorite mascot finally departing your ranks, its up to you two to try and firm up support for this failed player.

First the argument that there are no games on the device will make it a failure. Now that games are there and easily surpasses your Zune players by a tremendous margin, your argument is now reversed. Hilarious.

Poor ZG, still unable to comprehend why the Touch is the next generation of players and why the Zune is even more obsolete than before. How sad.

[Decoy @ Sep 2nd 2008 6:08PM]

Hey Mac guy, go check yourself before ripping on anyone about the availability of games.

[Zeus.:God @ Sep 2nd 2008 6:34PM]

Hows the Apple Kool-aid, Jubei?

All I can do is laugh at your post. You have yet to come up with a single rebuttal (or anything similar that matters or makes any sense) thereby proving your ignorance.

iPod Touch is the next generation of players? LOL! If that's so, any Archos player must be the next few generations after that!

You're such a pompous fool.

[Jubei @ Sep 2nd 2008 7:12PM]

Again poor ZG. Still unable to grasp the big picture. Your narrow field of vision also encompasses your narrow field of thought. Its more than just the player, its the sum of all parts. The iPod Touch, think hard ZG. I know it hurts, but you can do it. I'm sure you can.

[Zeus.:God @ Sep 2nd 2008 11:25PM]

I would like you to actually think about what you're saying, this next time. I think you're better than this, but maybe not- prove me wrong.

"Still unable to grasp the big picture. Your narrow field of vision also encompasses your narrow field of thought."

Sort of like looking Apple as being the best, right? Having the best of everything? That's not a "narrow field of thought", is it? Of course not... /sarcasm

"Its more than just the player, its the sum of all parts. The iPod Touch, think hard ZG."

More than just a player? Well... It plays movies... Music... Has a picture viewer... Can surf the internet on an obnoxiously small screen hardly fit for the task... Play a few games that, from what I've seen, other than Spore, are not that good. The Archos, however, has all those features, but with a fully equipped browser, a bigger, higher resolution screen, built in speakers, a lot more memory, TV recording, high definition output, 5.1 channel surround sound output, streaming from the PC, and the ability to buy and download movies, music, and other content independently, all for the same or less amount of money... An Archos is a MUCH better deal, and is also not tied to iTunes, which for many is a plus.

While you have continued to mindlessly try to insult me, I have backed my position with many arguments that you have yet to rebuke. If you're going to sit there and post bullshit, at the very least, try to back it up other than stating the fact that it's from Apple.

[Jubei @ Sep 3rd 2008 3:48AM]

Is that it? As I said the sum of all parts. Your whimpy check list makes you look even more sillier. Now you have abandonded your much maligned Zune and moved on defending a competitive device that easily blows away the Zune. How quick of you to abandon your pride and joy.

[Zeus.:God @ Sep 3rd 2008 4:02PM]

Yes, that's it. I have summed up everything- the only thing I left out was the touch screen... Which both have, only the Archos screen is bigger. My "whimpy check list" is far from whimpy (and doesn't make me look "more sillier", or even silly at all), as it is a list of pretty much every major feature of both products. Any Archos beats the iPod Touch hands down, and no, you buffoon, I haven't abandoned my "pride and joy"- I have simply used a product that is more directly in competition with the iPod Touch than the Zune 80 is (they are on two COMPLETELY different levels and not designed to compete with each other). The Zune 80 (16, 8), all dominate their iPod counterparts in darn near every way- the most important being build quality, of which I have experience with both, having had three iPods previous to my Zunes, all three of said iPods being long gone with their worn "click-wheels" and horribly scratched cases, yet both Zunes work like the day I got them, and don't look much different from then, either. Not only am I speaking for my self, but I'm also speaking for my friends and co-workers who have since switched from their iPods to Zunes or Creative players after replacing them left and right. The iPod is absurdly popular for no reason- just like Halo 3. There are better products out there... Just one of those mysteries of the world...

[Zeus.:God @ Sep 3rd 2008 4:03PM]

Yes, that's it. I have summed up everything- the only thing I left out was the touch screen... Which both have, only the Archos screen is bigger. My "whimpy check list" is far from whimpy (and doesn't make me look "more sillier", or even silly at all), as it is a list of pretty much every major feature of both products. Any Archos beats the iPod Touch hands down, and no, you buffoon, I haven't abandoned my "pride and joy"- I have simply used a product that is more directly in competition with the iPod Touch than the Zune 80 is (they are on two COMPLETELY different levels and not designed to compete with each other). The Zune 80 (16, 8), all dominate their iPod counterparts in darn near every way- the most important being build quality, of which I have experience with both, having had three iPods previous to my Zunes, all three of said iPods being long gone with their worn "click-wheels" and horribly scratched cases, yet both Zunes work like the day I got them, and don't look much different from then, either. Not only am I speaking for my self, but I'm also speaking for my friends and co-workers who have since switched from their iPods to Zunes or Creative players after replacing them left and right. The iPod is absurdly popular for no reason- just like Halo 3. There are better products out there... Just one of those mysteries of the world...

[KAIKAI @ Sep 4th 2008 4:18PM]

oh wow jubei
big words
howdidja figure out how to use dictionary.com ??

[allislost @ Sep 4th 2008 5:20PM]

@Jubei

You have to be the most pathetic apple troll here in engadget. Your baseless comments and bizarre fascination with anything made by apple leaves me to believe that you have no life outside of this blog. If you really need someone to talk to, don't come here and post asinine comments, go and call the national suicide prevention lifeline.

Go get help.

[allislost @ Sep 4th 2008 5:25PM]

@Jubei

You have to be the most pathetic apple troll here in engadget. Your baseless comments and bizarre fascination with anything made by apple leaves me to believe that you have no life outside of this blog. If you really need someone to talk to, don't come here and post asinine comments, go and call the national suicide prevention lifeline.

Go get help.

[allislost @ Sep 4th 2008 5:29PM]

...ah whoops double post. I should try to be a bit more patient...

[rTwelve [xbl:chilblane] @ Sep 2nd 2008 1:05PM]

"Update: More intrigue. Zunerama just posted this shot of a Wal-Mart stock system showing the 80GB and 4GB Zunes as discontinued. Yeah, something's up -- hopefully we'll find out soon."

um... should I have told you then that Best Buy has had them discontinued for a couple weeks now as well?

[Ridgecity @ Sep 2nd 2008 1:07PM]

This thing is only available in the U.S. after all these years... I was going to buy one but I'm sure it will be discontinued before it comes here...

[Shaun @ Sep 2nd 2008 1:12PM]

I want to know when the Zune will be released in the UK, I wanted one since they came out and am disappointed we are still left behind.
I would love the 120gb version.
Do these still work ok in the UK?
Is it just the Zune store I can't use if I import one?

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Sep 2nd 2008 1:34PM]

You can't use zune store and your warranty won't count.